


Elation

by Konoe



Category: Bleach
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2014-08-18
Packaged: 2018-02-13 16:18:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2157141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konoe/pseuds/Konoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Renji shows up drunk and unannounced at one in the morning, much to Byakuya's displeasure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Elation

**Author's Note:**

> This is short, generally goes nowhere, and more of a character study to get back into Byakuya's head - somewhat. It's been a while since I've written anything relatively formally, so I totally apologise for spelling/grammar shenanigans that I may have missed. 
> 
> I also must apologise if I switch between UK spelling and US. My word processor likes to behave... strangely.  
>  
> 
> Set at some point after the SS arc.

****

The endless drunken drawl grated on Byakuya Kuchiki’s nerves. Why Renji had insisted on giving him the somewhat overdue paperwork and oral report now was entirely beyond him. When Renji had shown up _at his bedroom door,_ no less, at the ludicrous hour of one in the morning, he’d been tempted to call his guards and have him forcefully removed from the premises. In fact, it had taken almost every ounce of kindness within him not to.

Renji continued to drunkenly sprout nonsense. His words weren’t too slurred, to be fair to his redheaded Lieutenant, but he was rambling. His sentences ran-on, changed subjects abruptly in apparent nervousness, and he fidgeted. It would take far more effort on the Noble’s part to be able to adequately translate those ‘sentences’ into something coherent than he was prepared to give.

When Renji leaned closer to him and placed the paperwork down upon the small table next to them, Byakuya absently leaned back. The overriding smell of sake was usually an unpleasant one. Mixed with Renji’s own unique scent of mostly cinnamon, and something else he couldn’t quite place, Byakuya found the scent overpowering. Not entirely unpleasant mind, but it caught him off-guard. His Lieutenant had an uncanny knack for making even the most unpleasant pleasant, and it seemed as though the scent of alcohol was no different. Renji was certainly… interesting.

“Somethin’ the matter, Captain?”

 It took Byakuya a moment in his sleep-hazed, somewhat overwhelmed state to fully realize that at some point Renji had stopped speaking. He shook his head, tussled raven looks swaying with the movement.

“Renji,” he began, thankful that he at least now had the chance to get a word in. “You are in my bedroom. It’s one in the morning.” He hoped that the simple statements would sink into Renji’s thick, drunk skull.

When Renji merely stared at him, seemingly processing what had just been said, Byakuya had to use even more of his currently limited self-control in order not to hit him upside the head. The Lieutenant was frozen in place, mahogany eyes slowly widening as he came to what appeared to be a revelation. Clearly, Renji had consumed more alcohol than Byakuya had first assumed.

“S-sorry, Captain!” Renji stammered, jerking back and bowing deeply. The audible sound of him swallowing was hard to miss. “I’ll use the front door next time.”

Eyes closing briefly, Byakuya’s eyebrow arched ever so slightly. “You aren’t listening.” Though, Byakuya shouldn’t be so surprised, considering Renji’s state. “You are in my bedroom at one in the morning, on a Friday night, uninvited.” He spoke the words in a slow drawl, hoping that if he spoke slower it’d sink into Renji’s thick, thick skull. 

Something seemed to click inside Renji’s head and he straightened, staring at Byakuya with eyes as wide as saucers, cheeks equally as red as his hair. He seemed to tense, mouth gaping like a fish as he tried to form words.

“Out.” Byakuya’s voice wasn’t as cold, wasn’t as harsh as he meant it to be. He simply couldn’t find it within him to be as livid with the oaf as he ought be. “We will discuss your report in the morning.”

“The morning?” Came the startled echo from Renji. He seemed to have regained some sobriety at least. “But it’s…” He trailed off, almost as though he wasn’t sure where he was going with the sentence. Byakuya stared and watched Renji deflate, his icy gaze managing to soften 

“Yes, I expect you here for an early lunch.” The words were out of Byakuya’s mouth before he thought them completely through. It would be best, of course, to get Renji’s full account while it was still fresh within his mind – and while he was sober. There was no other preposterous reason he wanted Renji to return.

 “An early…?” Renji fumbled with the thought for a few moments.

 Byakuya deduced that the constant repetition of his words was a result of Renji being intoxicated. Nevertheless, his lips pressed into a thin line, a slight crease in his brow forming.

Renji continued, undeterred, “of course!” He nodded vigorously, grinning madly, eyes bright and glossy. Renji seemed to positively _glow_. “If you’ll excuse me, Captain.” Though his words were slurred, Renji bounced to his feet with a renewed energy.

Byakuya stared after Renji as he left with a bounce in his step. He was thankful that Renji had his back to him and was rapidly disappearing from view, for his eyes had widened noticeably at Renji’s sudden change in behavior. It bought forth more questions than it answered.

Why had he been drunk in the first place? Byakuya had known that Renji had gone to drink with his former Division – had they spoken of something that caused Renji to show up here in the first place? Lowering his head, Byakuya’s posture relaxed, his hair falling loosely over his face. Beneath the shadows cast on his face, a small smile tugged faintly at the corners of his lips.

Renji’s elation was contagious.

 


End file.
